Great video. There were actually three radios in this series from Channel Master, the 6505 5 transistor, 6510 6 transistor, and 6520 8 transistor. I have all three in my collection. Luckily none of them had nearly this many problems getting them playing. The 6520 is also the only portable radio I own that has heat sinks on the output transistors. When I was 12 years old I mowed enough yards to buy myself a brand new Channel Master 6509 radio with a genuine leather case. I'm 73 now and my little 6509 still plays (with new capacitors).
In 1963 I was 13 years old and I pressed my nose against every window of the radio and television shop. I really wanted to have one of those little transistor radios.
Mr. SHANGO is THE MAN, for anything electronic !!! He brings soooo much knowledge and experience to the table that you have to recognize him as one of the Masters of electronic repair. I have learned so much just from watching his videos ! Thanks again Shango066 keep up the great videos !!!
My grandfather gave me a Channel Master AM/SW radio when I was a kid. It picked up CHU Canada very well for a small radio. I enjoy your videos even though I have zero knowledge about electronics
when I was a kid, my family had three of that exact model, one at home, one at the cottage, and one at my grandparent's house. I think we got them in the late 60's. All three sat on top of a refrigerator playing every morning and evening for over 20 years. They all worked great. I wish I still had at least one of them but sadly they are all long gone. I've been an electronics tech/eng for over 30 years so I know I could have repaired them. I didn't get the chance to try.
What a dude. He guessed the wrong transistor (with good reason) then figured out it was the other transistor, and then could prove his work and show on the schematics why the RF transistor screwing up would make you think it's the 1st IF transistor. Killin' it.
This may very well be one of my favorite videos you've done. It has a bit of it all right down to the rural DX test at the end. A shame can only give it one 'thumbs up.'
Ha! Just started my channel master 6511 restoration (yesterday). 7 new caps, those gray (yours are green) ones are CRAP, eaten speaker, someone GLUED the tuning cap (two gain banana cutter) in place, (removed cap and glue and reinserted with standoffs), sanded and polished the case, reapplied the painted script. Works and looks new. The real George Jetson look! No handle with mine (by design) and more rounded. As usual, an excellent video. By the way, my 6511 also is hearable at very low volume. Initially after recapping, mine also on occasion acted like a tube set. But it always functions instantaneously now. Also, just checking, the volume is now so low on low setting that one cannot hear it. So it now all reacting correctly.
Great video. I learned so much from you over the years. I repaired germanium Farfisa organ this march and big help was learning your workflow and how you approach the repair. Cheers mate, from Slovakia.
My dad worked for an electronics distributor who’s was a Sanyo/channel master company. They sold a ton of those things out here in the sticks and they really performed
Have an AM/FM Channel Master Super Fringe I restored...tube version that's amazing. You're right about the speaker and sound quality. It's amazing. It's from about 1962.
What a cool video. I usually watch on a Fire stick so I don't have an option for comments there. Your language "isms" are great, would almost believe you grew up with me. The subtle messages on current events and human behavior crack me up, love it. You have a fantastic ability to narrate and teach as you proceed through the repairs or mine site visits. I don't have the room or ambition to work on TV's, so watching you serves as a great proxy experience. Repairing radios is therapeutic. Keep up the good work!
I enjoy you videos, I too repair old stuff, I used to work on TVs went into customer homes to do repairs. Before I went into medical imaging. Channel Master made some good radios. Had caps open in the audio stage.
Nice radio. I used to blindly troubleshoot radios ages ago, but without a schematic, I don't enjoy the job as much anymore, like I do when I do have the information!
A very sensitive AM radio is crucial after a hurricane knocks out all other means of getting information and with AC power down the lack of interference can more than double their daytime range. A large homemade inductive loop can triple that. A Sony ICF-19 I had was a lifesaver after hurricanes Laura and Delta here. It has a very fat 4.75 inch ferrite antenna and works very similar to a CCrane during the day but heavy DSP muting ruins it for DXing at night with signals dropping out. What a ridiculous "feature."
It appears to me that the RF shield for that tunable coil you point out was not missing from the factory. If you look carefully (and maybe you did since I haven’t watched the entire video yet), the capacitor next to the said tunable coil has some sort of hot-snot on it (as Dave of EEVBLOG calls it) that took the shape of the shield that once must have existed beside it. Unfortunately this radio is so unnaturally clean it would be hard to confirm that further by looking for signs of the missing shield or “can” by finding traces of its ghost in the dust that normally accumulated after all these years. This radio is a real beauty though. Can’t wait to watch the rest of the show lol.
Nice repair case study. You may want to check across the new diode to see if they had any forward voltage/bias (& current) there, as schottky has a much lower forward voltage. Hmm, a transistor warmed up like a vacuum tube .. BTW my HX-108 (your recommendation) Chinese AM radio kit called the transistors “tubes”. I googled the LA “test” station, and found nothing about it. These radios bring back memories of growing up (mid 60s to early 70s) .. family beach and camping trips …
One thing the Sony TR-712 mantle radio has over this is the gear reduction (vernier) tuning. Unheard-of in this category, being so silky smooth with no backlash. The tuning gang they used also avoided the usual crowding in the upper part of the dial...
I love these desert reception test videos. Really wish I had the opportunity to do something similar myself, but until that happens I say: "Shango, give me MOAR DESERT RADIO VIDEOS!"
wow..our family had one back in late 60's..listened to St.Bona games deep into mid winter..what a signal puller..many fond memories of the family huddled around listening to the games..RIP Bob Lanier...
Great vid, Shango. As soon as I saw the two transformers I knew the Channel Master would have great sound. But for reception, nothing will beat the Sony. :)
I used to have an Automatic Electric AM radio. Transistors were in sockets--all US origin; e.g. 2N404 for the push-pull audio output. Steel chassis punched for the transistor sockets.
A useful tweak in sensitivity in very weak areas(no point trying it with strong signals) is to slightly move the antenna coils along the ferrite bar and see if the signal improves,needs to be done in conjunction with the RF trimmer to try and keep sensitivity as level as possible across the band. Some coils free easily on the ferrite bar, some don't... Don't force them free and note their original position, often moving a tiny amount makes quite a difference. I lock them in place afterwards with some hot glue from a glue gun.
Shango brings out a Tektronix THM550 on this radio eventually. Interesting view of his reflection in the screen holding the camera sans hat. This radio after all this work, still won't come on after being off for a day. "This is a test. This is a test. This is only a test." How did she know? Two thumbs up for finding the SAMS ( TSM-30 , November 1963) and finding out why it would only correctly start up with 30uF E caps! What a pain fixing her up was , damn RF amp transisitor was bad all along , but it made for quite the entertaining repair video! Super fringe test. This is a test. This is only a test. Looks like the L.A. area in about 10 years out there. Dry as a bone.
"Today is a great day testing testing. This is only a test". I am pretty sure I heard that when I was in Long Beach last year, but I don't remember the frequency when that was. The "vacuum tube" startup is pretty cool... looks old enough to be a vacuum tube set.
This Channel Master radio reminds me of the Model 6510 I had. I watched the whole video on this repair/resurrection. My Aunt & Uncle had one of these Channel masters 6510 too and even though it's 6 transistor, it was a very good performing receiver.
AM ground propagation decreases the higher the frequency, so a 50Kw station on 640 will travel farther than one on 1070. Here in England, 2 AM stations for London give an example of this, a station on 1152 Khz uses 23.5Kw to cover London, whereas another one on 1548 Khz needs 97.5kw to achieve the same coverage due to attenuation at the higher frequency.
Поздравляю с новыми перчатками.. Они очень хорошо смотрятся в кадре.. 😊 Если я правильно понял у вас сменилась камера и новая камера имеет повышенный волосяной покров который заметно в начале видеоролика. В верхней части экрана..)) Ваше очередное детективное расследование как всегда на высоте.!!! Незнаю насколько будет уместен мой вопрос. Могли бы вы снять ролик с экскурсией на одну из вещающих радиостанций и показать какое оборудование сейчас используется для вещания программ в АМ диапазоне. Конечно если это возможно. Буду очень признателен. Думаю другим подписчика было бы тоже интересно. 😊😊😊
Once you switched to the blue gloves from the green it all came togeather. I think it's the gloves " blue gloved devil"! Enjoyed watching, good edumacation here! Thanks!!!
I remember I used to convert the AM to the 1.6 to 5 marine band...it would work perfectly... when the skip came in..it was fantastic 😮...that was in the 1970s...
It makes sense that KFI would have a better signal in the desert, even though they're both 50KW, as KFI operates on a lower AM frequency than KNX. This is especially noticeable in sparsely-populated rural areas. I forgot how good the AM groundwave propagation is down there.
This was exactly the idea behind using LW in Europe (and other places), to have broadcast transmitters capable of reaching the entire continent. This was achieved, but power consumption of 500 to 1,500 kW transmitters competing with high speed mobile internet isn't working out so well economically anymore.
@@LakeNipissing LW is more susceptible to RFI. There is so much radio noise in your average home that it's putting a hurt on us AM/MW broadcasters. All of that noise cuts our signal coverage range by quite a bit. Though it's not as bad in a vehicle, all of that extra nose in the power-lines is noticeable. I can't imagine even trying to broadcast on LW in today's level of static.
A great spot to test the sensitivity of old AM radios as I imagine little to no noise floor too. I was surprised at how the RF amp transistor was behaving as I don’t think you would see that in a silicon transistor. I am no expert when it comes to germanium but I think I’m right in saying that they can be very sensitive to heat. May be freeze it spray could of help diagnose the problem a little quicker or maybe not. Anyway nice vid and radio. Also does anyone know where the test transmission is coming from?? This is a test, this is a test, this is only a test.
Nice set! I've got a NIB 6510 that of course doesn't work. I've never opened it up but it is so heavy every time I move it I check it for batteries thinking I left some in it. Also got one that is badged Nobility that has an identical cabinet except it is a peach color. 7 transistors and it works very well. Maybe this will help motivate me to work on my 6510. Thanks! Great video!
Man intermittent problems are so much harder when I work on arcade games I always tell people I’d much rather it be a permanent problem than an intermittent it’s much easier to fix
I Have GE Super Radio very good radio for Dx and with the select antenna it's even better. I have Zenith Royal 675 since new many others. I am call radio man .I like you videos keep the good work 😃
You are right about the capacitor sizes-- a 30uF capacitor has 106 ohms reactance at 300Hz, so even 3uF would be plenty going into a 5K volume pot. Maybe they had a lot of 30's for cheap.
I have one rather odd Sony radio which is a wooden cabinet table radio but runs on flashlight cells. It's missing its feet, unfortunately. It's a good performer from what I remember. I picked up a Precision Grommes signal tracer recently which has a 6AT6 in the probe. I wonder if a 6AV6 would be too much gain for it?
Shango, we believe you when you say a cap is in the correct way 7:18, It is a lot easier for those of us with motion issues to watch your videos if there isn't as much motion. Maybe have a second camera (still or motion) to insert the B roll? Thanks!
I have a 6510 and I thought the volume pot was an issue on mine too, but I have seen 2 other videos (yours of the 6520 and another on a 6510) and all 3 radios have had the same issue, where the minimum volume it way louder than it seems like it should be. I still don’t know if it’s just a common failure or if it’s by design. Either way great video, very informative and entertaining as always.
Interesting a low impedance common base amplifier on a loopstick, thats normally a FM thing, maybe its to increase the bandwidth. All oscillators have a start up time, at switch on there is just thermal noise which gets filtered by the feedback loop eventually leading up to full output. When I find some cheap torroids I plan to make a Dx loopstick out of a stack of them, maybe 12" long or so, should make for a sensitive antenna.
Ha, 'Channel Master'. The only thing I can recall of this brand is the TV antenna rotor my father had installed when he bought our (his) first color television, a Magnavox 25" console in 1966. So he could view his favorite program, Star Trek in color. We kids weren't allowed to touch it or the cool Channel Master rotor device. We were relegated to the old Hudson B&W set in the basement. Bu we could watch Trek and Disney when allowed!😁
16:40 it looks like there is a whisker bride across 2 tracks, in-line, just above the switch. I reckon that original diode had a lead breakage just inside the package.
Extra 10UF bypass capacitors around the IF stages wake up the radio also.replacing the remaining 2 RF transistors may help to increase its sensitivity too. Ocean front area is also a great test for these radios
You are absolutely correct ref the PNP polarity. If folk have no understanding about electronics, then they should leave well alone. Reminds me of folk who pour water in the engine oil receptacle.
I am curious if cold spray might have pushed that transistor into acting up. $65 shipping seems ridiculously high to say the least. I thought eBay used to have a policy limiting usurious shipping costs, though maybe it was only for certain items...
I bought several very wide radios, one of them was this one, the other one was some Japanese off-brand. Refurbished both of them. Gave them away to a friend as Christmas presents. Remember that the transistor radio on Gilligan's Island was a Channel Master. BTW for some background, the AVC on those simple transistor radios was rather lacking. Transistors can't be throttled back like variable-mu tubes. About the best you can do is swamp out some of the signal with that fed back diode. Also "3 Watts" on the speaker but those 200mW output transistors are not going to get anywhere close to that power level.
Have you looked at that little RF Amp that Mr. Carlson designed? I made one to test it out since I live in an area that personafies the word fringe, in the North Western corner of South Dakota, we are so close to North Dakota, I have stood on the State Line and pissed from ND to SD without leaving the City Limits. It is designed to use most any good NPN Transistor and a few resistors, a few caps and some wire. Simple build. The dssign is available on his patrion page along with DOZENS of other great tools you can get the designs including a build video on each tool.
Those same caps were in a Realistic SCT-43 made by Sharp in Korea i bought i had to return. I wonder if they were bad. The automatic music search system didn't seem to work. I made a video of it, but just junked the footage.
Great video. There were actually three radios in this series from Channel Master, the 6505 5 transistor, 6510 6 transistor, and 6520 8 transistor. I have all three in my collection. Luckily none of them had nearly this many problems getting them playing. The 6520 is also the only portable radio I own that has heat sinks on the output transistors. When I was 12 years old I mowed enough yards to buy myself a brand new Channel Master 6509 radio with a genuine leather case. I'm 73 now and my little 6509 still plays (with new capacitors).
Awesome
In 1963 I was 13 years old and I pressed my nose against every window of the radio and television shop. I really wanted to have one of those little transistor radios.
I love the way that you sink your teeth in to a problem and won't let go until it's fixed 👍
Mr. SHANGO is THE MAN, for anything electronic !!! He brings soooo much knowledge and experience to the table that you have to recognize him as one of the Masters of electronic repair. I have learned so much just from watching his videos ! Thanks again Shango066 keep up the great videos !!!
My grandfather gave me a Channel Master AM/SW radio when I was a kid. It picked up CHU Canada very well for a small radio. I enjoy your videos even though I have zero knowledge about electronics
That was Grandma Johnson's "Billy Graham" radio. Brings back 50 year old memories. Thanks.
That’s nice looking Channel Master. It’s unusual to see one without an damage to the plastic.
when I was a kid, my family had three of that exact model, one at home, one at the cottage, and one at my grandparent's house. I think we got them in the late 60's. All three sat on top of a refrigerator playing every morning and evening for over 20 years. They all worked great. I wish I still had at least one of them but sadly they are all long gone. I've been an electronics tech/eng for over 30 years so I know I could have repaired them. I didn't get the chance to try.
What a dude. He guessed the wrong transistor (with good reason) then figured out it was the other transistor, and then could prove his work and show on the schematics why the RF transistor screwing up would make you think it's the 1st IF transistor. Killin' it.
The best radio repair video I've seen in a while . You covered a lot of ground in this one .
This may very well be one of my favorite videos you've done. It has a bit of it all right down to the rural DX test at the end. A shame can only give it one 'thumbs up.'
Ha! Just started my channel master 6511 restoration (yesterday). 7 new caps, those gray (yours are green) ones are CRAP, eaten speaker, someone GLUED the tuning cap (two gain banana cutter) in place, (removed cap and glue and reinserted with standoffs), sanded and polished the case, reapplied the painted script. Works and looks new. The real George Jetson look! No handle with mine (by design) and more rounded.
As usual, an excellent video. By the way, my 6511 also is hearable at very low volume. Initially after recapping, mine also on occasion acted like a tube set. But it always functions instantaneously now. Also, just checking, the volume is now so low on low setting that one cannot hear it. So it now all reacting correctly.
That's one way to keep co-workers from changing the station.
I used to have one of them when I was a teenager in the 1960's. I listened to it while I was driving the tractor because it was loud and clear.
What an awesome repair video!
Many diagnostic lessons.
Great video. I learned so much from you over the years. I repaired germanium Farfisa organ this march and big help was learning your workflow and how you approach the repair. Cheers mate, from Slovakia.
SHANGO the fix Master ! If anybody can do it he is the best at it
My dad worked for an electronics distributor who’s was a Sanyo/channel master company. They sold a ton of those things out here in the sticks and they really performed
Have an AM/FM Channel Master Super Fringe I restored...tube version that's amazing. You're right about the speaker and sound quality. It's amazing. It's from about 1962.
Hi Shango0. Great to see another Sunday video. Cool radio. Thank you for all the trouble shooting. Makes it easy to understand. All my best.
What a cool video. I usually watch on a Fire stick so I don't have an option for comments there. Your language "isms" are great, would almost believe you grew up with me. The subtle messages on current events and human behavior crack me up, love it. You have a fantastic ability to narrate and teach as you proceed through the repairs or mine site visits. I don't have the room or ambition to work on TV's, so watching you serves as a great proxy experience. Repairing radios is therapeutic. Keep up the good work!
I’d love to find one of those. Sweet unit.
Interesting radio experiments. Education in the repair and the experience of this transistor radio was entertaining.
One of your better videos, really enjoyed it.
Congratulations! You've invented and debugged the S-meter! Love your videos - they're like a master class in electronics troubleshooting.
I enjoy you videos, I too repair old stuff, I used to work on TVs went into customer homes to do repairs. Before I went into medical imaging. Channel Master made some good radios. Had caps open in the audio stage.
Nice radio.
I used to blindly troubleshoot radios ages ago, but without a schematic, I don't enjoy the job as much anymore, like I do when I do have the information!
A very sensitive AM radio is crucial after a hurricane knocks out all other means of getting information and with AC power down the lack of interference can more than double their daytime range. A large homemade inductive loop can triple that. A Sony ICF-19 I had was a lifesaver after hurricanes Laura and Delta here. It has a very fat 4.75 inch ferrite antenna and works very similar to a CCrane during the day but heavy DSP muting ruins it for DXing at night with signals dropping out. What a ridiculous "feature."
Thanks!
It appears to me that the RF shield for that tunable coil you point out was not missing from the factory. If you look carefully (and maybe you did since I haven’t watched the entire video yet), the capacitor next to the said tunable coil has some sort of hot-snot on it (as Dave of EEVBLOG calls it) that took the shape of the shield that once must have existed beside it. Unfortunately this radio is so unnaturally clean it would be hard to confirm that further by looking for signs of the missing shield or “can” by finding traces of its ghost in the dust that normally accumulated after all these years. This radio is a real beauty though. Can’t wait to watch the rest of the show lol.
Nice repair case study.
You may want to check across the new diode to see if they had any forward voltage/bias (& current) there, as schottky has a much lower forward voltage.
Hmm, a transistor warmed up like a vacuum tube .. BTW my HX-108 (your recommendation) Chinese AM radio kit called the transistors “tubes”.
I googled the LA “test” station, and found nothing about it.
These radios bring back memories of growing up (mid 60s to early 70s) .. family beach and camping trips …
Danke!
One thing the Sony TR-712 mantle radio has over this is the gear reduction (vernier) tuning. Unheard-of in this category, being so silky smooth with no backlash. The tuning gang they used also avoided the usual crowding in the upper part of the dial...
Great work, Shango.
That "today is a great day testing testing" station is just so weird and creepy, I love it
What station is it?
@@MuscatelTom I'm not sure
@@MuscatelTom It broadcasts from the Twilight Zone.
I love these desert reception test videos. Really wish I had the opportunity to do something similar myself, but until that happens I say: "Shango, give me MOAR DESERT RADIO VIDEOS!"
Camera hair .. Never a dull moment with Shango
Think that was the "dead cat" on the mic.
@@volvo09 better than the half dead mouse last time
I’ve learned a lot by watching ! Thank you
wow..our family had one back in late 60's..listened to St.Bona games deep into mid winter..what a signal puller..many fond memories of the family huddled around listening to the games..RIP Bob Lanier...
I really enjoyed this,That was better than a movie, well done ..
Хорошая работа, видно , что человек со знанием дела подходит к ремонту радио. Лайк!
Great vid, Shango. As soon as I saw the two transformers I knew the Channel Master would have great sound. But for reception, nothing will beat the Sony. :)
SHANGO!!! Thanks for the video
I used to have an Automatic Electric AM radio. Transistors were in sockets--all US origin; e.g. 2N404 for the push-pull audio output. Steel chassis punched for the transistor sockets.
A useful tweak in sensitivity in very weak areas(no point trying it with strong signals) is to slightly move the antenna coils along the ferrite bar and see if the signal improves,needs to be done in conjunction with the RF trimmer to try and keep sensitivity as level as possible across the band.
Some coils free easily on the ferrite bar, some don't... Don't force them free and note their original position, often moving a tiny amount makes quite a difference.
I lock them in place afterwards with some hot glue from a glue gun.
Happy Father's Day Shango
Thanks. This one was very educational. And kept be guessing till the end.
Shango brings out a Tektronix THM550 on this radio eventually. Interesting view of his reflection in the screen holding
the camera sans hat. This radio after all this work, still won't come on after being off for a day. "This is a test. This is a
test. This is only a test." How did she know? Two thumbs up for finding the SAMS ( TSM-30 , November 1963) and finding
out why it would only correctly start up with 30uF E caps! What a pain fixing her up was , damn RF amp transisitor was
bad all along , but it made for quite the entertaining repair video! Super fringe test. This is a test. This is only a test. Looks
like the L.A. area in about 10 years out there. Dry as a bone.
The actual Tek model is the TekMeter THM550.
"Today is a great day testing testing. This is only a test". I am pretty sure I heard that when I was in Long Beach last year, but I don't remember the frequency when that was.
The "vacuum tube" startup is pretty cool... looks old enough to be a vacuum tube set.
WOW. Great restore. THANX FOR YOUIR PATIENCE
This Channel Master radio reminds me of the Model 6510 I had. I watched the whole video on this repair/resurrection. My Aunt & Uncle had one of these Channel masters 6510 too and even though it's 6 transistor, it was a very good performing receiver.
I enjoy your knowledge and inspiration.
Ok first off, love the channel. You do great work it's art.
Also I would like to say I to like your old camera better to.
So looking forward to more Philco 48...
AM ground propagation decreases the higher the frequency, so a 50Kw station on 640 will travel farther than one on 1070.
Here in England, 2 AM stations for London give an example of this, a station on 1152 Khz uses 23.5Kw to cover London, whereas another one on 1548 Khz needs 97.5kw to achieve the same coverage due to attenuation at the higher frequency.
There use to be 1.3 Megawatts on 252 kHz LW, which covered all of the UK, and most of eastern Europe with CHR / Top 40 in the 1980s and 1990s.
That's why I'm receiving tenerife on the lower frequencies late night in the UK
@@Roland_Tr909_Swing indeed!
@@christopherhulse8385 with a little help from a tecsun an-200 ferrite loop
Lower channels on a CB radio do the same ..
Поздравляю с новыми перчатками.. Они очень хорошо смотрятся в кадре.. 😊 Если я правильно понял у вас сменилась камера и новая камера имеет повышенный волосяной покров который заметно в начале видеоролика. В верхней части экрана..)) Ваше очередное детективное расследование как всегда на высоте.!!!
Незнаю насколько будет уместен мой вопрос.
Могли бы вы снять ролик с экскурсией на одну из вещающих радиостанций и показать какое оборудование сейчас используется для вещания программ в АМ диапазоне. Конечно если это возможно. Буду очень признателен. Думаю другим подписчика было бы тоже интересно. 😊😊😊
I had an old '70's Sanyo vacuum cleaner complete with a cardboard case for the motor, but somehow lasted 2 years with bushing bearings!
Once you switched to the blue gloves from the green it all came togeather. I think it's the gloves " blue gloved devil"! Enjoyed watching, good edumacation here! Thanks!!!
Radio looks brand new! Cool style
Unbelievable items super the person repairs this set
Learned a lot on this video enjoyed the time watching great job. Very helpfull
I remember I used to convert the AM to the 1.6 to 5 marine band...it would work perfectly... when the skip came in..it was fantastic 😮...that was in the 1970s...
I know I'm crazy but I watched this video over again. It was that good.
It makes sense that KFI would have a better signal in the desert, even though they're both 50KW, as KFI operates on a lower AM frequency than KNX. This is especially noticeable in sparsely-populated rural areas. I forgot how good the AM groundwave propagation is down there.
This was exactly the idea behind using LW in Europe (and other places), to have broadcast transmitters capable of reaching the entire continent. This was achieved, but power consumption of 500 to 1,500 kW transmitters competing with high speed mobile internet isn't working out so well economically anymore.
@@LakeNipissing LW is more susceptible to RFI. There is so much radio noise in your average home that it's putting a hurt on us AM/MW broadcasters. All of that noise cuts our signal coverage range by quite a bit. Though it's not as bad in a vehicle, all of that extra nose in the power-lines is noticeable.
I can't imagine even trying to broadcast on LW in today's level of static.
A great spot to test the sensitivity of old AM radios as I imagine little to no noise floor too. I was surprised at how the RF amp transistor was behaving as I don’t think you would see that in a silicon transistor. I am no expert when it comes to germanium but I think I’m right in saying that they can be very sensitive to heat. May be freeze it spray could of help diagnose the problem a little quicker or maybe not. Anyway nice vid and radio. Also does anyone know where the test transmission is coming from?? This is a test, this is a test, this is only a test.
My Grandfather and Father had them for decades
Nice set! I've got a NIB 6510 that of course doesn't work. I've never opened it up but it is so heavy every time I move it I check it for batteries thinking I left some in it. Also got one that is badged Nobility that has an identical cabinet except it is a peach color. 7 transistors and it works very well. Maybe this will help motivate me to work on my 6510. Thanks! Great video!
Man intermittent problems are so much harder when I work on arcade games I always tell people I’d much rather it be a permanent problem than an intermittent it’s much easier to fix
I Have GE Super Radio very good radio for Dx and with the select antenna it's even better. I have Zenith Royal 675 since new many others. I am call radio man .I like you videos keep the good work 😃
You are right about the capacitor sizes-- a 30uF capacitor has 106 ohms reactance at 300Hz, so even 3uF would be plenty going into a 5K volume pot. Maybe they had a lot of 30's for cheap.
For a 59 year old transistor set it ain't bad. I'm the same age also so can't be too bad
Haha!
I have one rather odd Sony radio which is a wooden cabinet table radio but runs on flashlight cells. It's missing its feet, unfortunately. It's a good performer from what I remember.
I picked up a Precision Grommes signal tracer recently which has a 6AT6 in the probe. I wonder if a 6AV6 would be too much gain for it?
We used to hit a suspect component with a shot of Freez-it to troubleshoot thermal intermittent problems.
Shango, we believe you when you say a cap is in the correct way 7:18, It is a lot easier for those of us with motion issues to watch your videos if there isn't as much motion. Maybe have a second camera (still or motion) to insert the B roll? Thanks!
Selga 404 was one of most popular radios in USSR, we had one.
Great sound on that thing!
The Sanyo corporate motto is "acceptable quality at a reduced price". I remember the CEO saying this years ago.
Nice diag! I’m late, searched e-bay 7 hours after posting, no channel master 6520 to be found! 🔥
I have a 6510 and I thought the volume pot was an issue on mine too, but I have seen 2 other videos (yours of the 6520 and another on a 6510) and all 3 radios have had the same issue, where the minimum volume it way louder than it seems like it should be. I still don’t know if it’s just a common failure or if it’s by design. Either way great video, very informative and entertaining as always.
Great video learned a lot this time.
Bravo.....come in tutti I video..
Love the long one's...cheers
Interesting a low impedance common base amplifier on a loopstick, thats normally a FM thing, maybe its to increase the bandwidth. All oscillators have a start up time, at switch on there is just thermal noise which gets filtered by the feedback loop eventually leading up to full output.
When I find some cheap torroids I plan to make a Dx loopstick out of a stack of them, maybe 12" long or so, should make for a sensitive antenna.
Thanks! Perfect design radio!
“Bark point cigarette xylophone”. 😂
Nice looking radio it would be nice to see it restored.
Ha, 'Channel Master'. The only thing I can recall of this brand is the TV antenna rotor my father had installed when he bought our (his) first color television, a Magnavox 25" console in 1966. So he could view his favorite program, Star Trek in color. We kids weren't allowed to touch it or the cool Channel Master rotor device. We were relegated to the old Hudson B&W set in the basement. Bu we could watch Trek and Disney when allowed!😁
16:40 it looks like there is a whisker bride across 2 tracks, in-line, just above the switch. I reckon that original diode had a lead breakage just inside the package.
I have a Channel Master Model 6562 !! Good DXer !! Luv your video's !!
Extra 10UF bypass capacitors around the IF stages wake up the radio also.replacing the remaining 2 RF transistors may help to increase its sensitivity too. Ocean front area is also a great test for these radios
Did anyone catch what frequenct the "test" station was broadcasting on?
You are absolutely correct ref the PNP polarity. If folk have no understanding about electronics, then they should leave well alone. Reminds me of folk who pour water in the engine oil receptacle.
Good morning Shango
The only time I ever question the time, effort, or money it takes to fix these is when the things are actually working.
I am curious if cold spray might have pushed that transistor into acting up.
$65 shipping seems ridiculously high to say the least. I thought eBay used to have a policy limiting usurious shipping costs, though maybe it was only for certain items...
I bought several very wide radios, one of them was this one, the other one was some Japanese off-brand. Refurbished both of them. Gave them away to a friend as Christmas presents. Remember that the transistor radio on Gilligan's Island was a Channel Master.
BTW for some background, the AVC on those simple transistor radios was rather lacking. Transistors can't be throttled back like variable-mu tubes. About the best you can do is swamp out some of the signal with that fed back diode. Also "3 Watts" on the speaker but those 200mW output transistors are not going to get anywhere close to that power level.
Have you looked at that little RF Amp that Mr. Carlson designed? I made one to test it out since I live in an area that personafies the word fringe, in the North Western corner of South Dakota, we are so close to North Dakota, I have stood on the State Line and pissed from ND to SD without leaving the City Limits. It is designed to use most any good NPN Transistor and a few resistors, a few caps and some wire. Simple build. The dssign is available on his patrion page along with DOZENS of other great tools you can get the designs including a build video on each tool.
Please, how do you protect a radio from outside noise?
Do electrolytic capacitors go bad over time from lack of use, or do they go bad even if the device gets regular use?
Can someone tell me how to get FM stations again at home? What am I looking for?
Those same caps were in a Realistic SCT-43 made by Sharp in Korea i bought i had to return. I wonder if they were bad. The automatic music search system didn't seem to work. I made a video of it, but just junked the footage.